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Sunday October 31, 2021
Emerson Avenue Salonlines Proudly Presents
a Live “Hybrid” YouTube Broadcast
Duo Sorolla
Ismar Gomes, cello
Wan-Chi Su, piano
Musical Journeys
Duo Sorolla, cellist Ismar Gomes and pianist Wan-Chi Su, return to Emerson Avenue Salons to perform a program of works by Constantino Gaito, Fazil Say, and Sergei Rachmaninov. Each of these works represents a kind of journey that was important in each composer’s life. Gaito’s Cello Sonata in f minor is an expressive, lean, and rarely heard work, revealing his Argentinian roots and his Italian education before the turn of the 20th century. Fazil Say’s Four Cities is a jazz, pop, and folk infused exploration of Turkey’s singular confluence of cultures. The program concludes with one of the most well-known works for piano and cello, Rachmaninov’s Cello Sonata. This epic piece has some of the most memorable melodies and moments in the entire literature!
Program
Cello Sonata, Op. 26 Constantino Gaito (1878-1945)
Allegro Moderato
Andante Sostenuto
Allegro Moderato
Dört Şehir (Four Cities), Op. 41 Fazil Say *1970
Sivas
Bodrum
——– Brief Intermission——–
Sonata in G minor, Op. 19 Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943)
Lento – Allegro Moderato
Allegro Scherzando
Andante
Allegro Mosso
Biographies
In the more than ten years since Duo Sorolla was formed, the ensemble has performed dozens of recitals on important series throughout the USA, often collaborating with other renowned musicians. The Duo has interpreted a wide range of music including most of the standard repertoire for cello and piano, as well as lesser known music, especially music by women and composers of color. Duo Sorolla’s recitals bring together varied works that explore new and traditional approaches to expression, and the Duo enjoys guiding audiences along each program’s unique journey. Over the past several seasons, Duo Sorolla has commissioned and premiered works from William Weigel, Aaron Malone, Larry Nelson, and Mark Hagerty. Apart from these special projects, they have also championed the works of Lera Auerbach, George Walker, Ying-Chen Kao, and Aaron Jay Kernis, and are keen to work with and promote the works of other living composers, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds.. Dr. Gomes and Ms. Su studied much of the duo repertoire under the tutelage of Colin Carr, Tom Sauer, Michael Kannen, and other distinguished artists.
Dr. Ismar Gomes is a chamber musician, recitalist, baroque cellist, and orchestral player. Recent performance highlights include recitals as a member of Duo Sorolla across the United States, as well as collaborations with members of the Pittsburgh Symphony, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Emerson, and the Johannes Quartets. A member of the Virginia and Richmond Symphonies he frequently performs with the Baltimore Symphony. As a baroque cellist, Dr. Gomes is a member of Mélomanie and is a regular guest with several early music ensembles. Dr. Gomes has worked with noted composers including George Walker, Aaron Jay Kernis, Marc Neikrug, James Lee III, and David Lang and has commissioned and championed works by today’s leading and emerging composers. As a recording artist Dr. Gomes has recorded with the Harlem Quartet and recently released two albums with Mélomanie, as well as live recordings of works by Larry Nelson, Mark Hagerty, and others. Formerly Visiting Assistant Professor of Cello at Luther College, he currently serves as Adjunct Assistant Professor of Cello at Gettysburg College, and recently presented masterclasses at Georgetown, Towson, and Duke Universities. Prior faculty appointments include the Cleveland Institute of Music Summer Chamber Music Festival, StringFest at Merkin Hall, the Performing Arts Institute, and the Three Bridges Festival. Ismar attended the Peabody Conservatory, studying with Alison Wells and Amit Peled. Previous teachers include Marc Johnson and Clive Greensmith of the Vermeer and Tokyo Quartets. He earned his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from Stony Brook University, under the tutelage of Colin Carr.
Pianist Wan-Chi Su has performed in Asia, Europe, and the United States as a soloist and collaborative artist, at major venues including Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall, Salle Cortot in Paris, and Taiwan National Concert Hall. Reviewing her recent performance at the Washington National Cathedral, the American Scholar noted that “(she) played with sensitivity and imagination.”
Decorated with numerous awards, Ms. Su won first prize in the Taiwan Cultural Cup Invitational Piano Competition, and the Taiwan National Student Music Competition in Piano. Further, she has been invited to numerous music festivals, including the Taos School of Music, the Beethoven Institute, both the Icicle Creek Piano Festival and the Icicle Creek Chamber Music Festival, the NTSO International Piano Program in Taiwan, and the Paris Piano Program in France. She is the co-founder of Duo Sorolla and an artist member of the Piatigorsky Foundation since 2018.
Born in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Ms. Su began piano lessons at age four. She earned a bachelor’s degree in piano, minoring in French horn, at the National Kaohsiung Normal University in Taiwan, followed by a Master of Music and a Graduate Performance Diploma at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University. Ms. Su currently serves on the piano faculty of the Park School of Baltimore and maintains a small private studio.
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